Asians, Diet of

Photo by: Patricia Hofmeester

With forty-seven countries, innumerable tribes, and thousands of distinct
languages, Asia is home to more ethnic groups than any other part of the
world. In addition, the geography and climate of Asia are as diverse as
its nations and peoples. From the lush rice paddies of the Philippines to
the crowded Tokyo metropolis to the rainforests of Indonesia, there is a
staggering variety of fruit, food, and spices in this extraordinary part
of the world. Asia can be divided into three regions: East Asia (including
China, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea); Southeast Asia (including Malaysia,
Singapore, and the Philippines); and South Asia (including India and Sri
Lanka).

The Thread that Binds Asia: Rice

Though each Asian country and region has its distinct flavors and cooking
styles, almost all share one food in common—rice. But rice is not
eaten in the same manner in each country. As a staple food central to
survival, especially during times of
famine
, rice has acquired an almost sacred status in Asian society, and it is
served in many ways. It is cooked as a significant part of each meal of
the day, incorporated as a main ingredient in confections such as candy
and cakes, fermented to make wine (Japanese sake) or beer, or sometimes
given as an offering to the gods to ensure a good harvest. Rice is a
potent culinary and spiritual staple in Asia.

Asian Fruit

The fruits of Asia are unlike those of any other part of the world. The
tropical climate of South and Southeast Asia, and the mild climate of East
Asia, create a hospitable environment for many different fruits to grow.
Fruit is a significant part of the Asian
diet
and is usually eaten as a dessert with lunch or dinner. In East Asia,
oranges, quince, dates, pears, strawberries, cherries, watermelon,
peaches, and grapefruit are eaten widely. In South and Southeast Asia,
there are unique fruits such as sweet mangoes (originally
from India), which are eaten individually or made into ice cream or other
confections, and green mangoes, which are used widely in Vietnam, the
Philippines, and India, where they are made into chutneys or curries
(which are used as a broth, stew, or dry seasoning).

Coconuts are popular in Southeast Asian cuisine. Coconut milk is used for
curries in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, South India, Myanmar, and the
Philippines. It is also a delicious beverage, and is often drunk straight
from the coconut with a straw. Coconut meat is added to desserts and
salads. Other tropical fruits found in Asia include guava, papaya, pawpaw,
starfruit (carambola), mangosteen, sour sop, jackfruit, longan, rambutan,
durian, pineapple, and lychee.

Other Common Ingredients Used across Asia

Nuts are popular in Asia, eaten plain as snacks or mashed into porridge
and sauces. In Malaysia and Indonesia, satays (peanut-based sauces) flavor
chicken and beef dishes. The Chinese bake almond cookies and make rice
cream with almonds or hazelnuts. Steamed cakes with almonds or macadamias
are also common, and rice puddings with fruit, raisins, almonds, walnuts,
or hazelnuts are popular desserts in India. Both East and Southeast Asia
boast stir-fry dishes with peanuts, while India flavors its rice with
lemon and peanuts.

East Asian Food

China. Different regions of China have distinct tastes in food.
Shanghainese cooking is known for its spicy chili flavoring and trademark
redcolored meats. The Cantonese and Chaozhao regions are known for cooked
meats and vegetables; and in the Beijing, Mandarin, and Shandong regions
steamed bread and noodles are used as
staples
instead of rice. The most prized food staples in China are rice and
wheat, though yams, taros, and potatoes are eaten when rice and wheat are
not available. Chinese vegetables are mostly imported from Central Asia,
including cucumbers, coriander, peas, sesame, onions, grapes and
pomegranates, tomatoes, maize, sweet potatoes, peanuts, mushrooms, and
daikon (radish). Preserved foods are popular, including pickled foods,
fermented vegetables, and smoked and salted meats. Other well-known
seasonings that are used include salted black beans (douchi), sweet and
salty sauce, garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce, black fungus, chilies,
hoisin sauce, ginger, sesame seeds, and sesame oil.

The Chinese cook most of their food by mincing the ingredients and
sautéing them in a deep pan called a wok. Little
fat
is used to season the meals, but plenty of fresh flavorings are added,
such as ginger, chilies, soy sauces, scallions, oyster sauce, and fagara
(Szechuan pepper). In the cities, most people cook over a gas stovetop,
while in the country they use a brick stove to cook several dishes at
once, including the rice. Tea is the most common beverage, though sodas
are also popular.

Japan.

Sushi (slices of raw fish on rice), teriyaki meats, and tempura
(batter-fried vegetables or shrimp) are not the only foods in the Japanese
diet. Salted vegetables are part of everyday diets, as are soybean
products such as
tofu
, soy sauce, miso (a soybean paste), and dashi (a stock whose base is
dried fish and kelp). Meat and seafood are popular in Japanese cooking,
and broths
are also common. Ingredients for stock include dried sea tangle, dried
bonito (a type of tuna), and brown mushrooms. Spices like pepper, wasabi
(horseradish), cloves, ginger, sesame, and garlic give special flavor to
the food.

Japan centers its dishes on rice, with all other dishes thought of as side
dishes. When rice stocks are low, millet or sweet potatoes are used.
Different types of noodles are found in Japanese cuisine: soba (a
buckwheat noodle) is popular in the west, and udon (a flour noodle) is
popular in the east. Japanese rice wine (mirin or sake) is served both
cold and warm. Green tea is especially popular.

Korea.

Korea's cuisine is a blend of Chinese and Japanese, though with its
own distinctive flavor. The Korean national dish is
bulgogi,
or "fire beef"—beef strips marinated in soy sauce,
sesame oil, garlic, and chili. The mainstay of Korean food is kimchi (or
gimchi), a side dish of pickled grated vegetables infused with ginger,
garlic, and chili. Seafood is a major staple in Korea, in addition to
pork, hens, deer, and wild boar. Popular vegetables include turnips, lotus
roots, taro, leeks, lettuce, bamboo shoots, ferns, and mushrooms. Popular
spices and nuts include pine nuts, hazelnuts, and ginseng, and chili
peppers are used liberally.

Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia is located in the monsoon belt, where heavy rains fall for
several months a year. Most Southeast Asian countries use plenty of spice
and coconut in their dishes, except for Vietnam.

Vietnam.

Vietnamese cuisine does not include large amounts of meat and fish;
instead, rice is supplemented with vegetables and eggs. Similar to Chinese
cooking, Vietnamese cooking uses little fat or oil for frying. Instead of
using soy sauce for seasoning,
nuocmam
(fish sauce) is used as the main flavoring in almost every dish.
Pho
is a type of soup in which noodles, beef, chicken, or pork are added, and
the soup is then garnished with basil, bean sprouts, and other seasonings.
Fruits are an integral part of each meal—bananas, mangoes, papayas,
oranges, coconuts, and pineapple are all popular. Vietnamese coffee is
made with condensed milk to make the drink extra sweet and delicious. Hot
green tea is very popular as well.

The Philippines.

Philippine culture is a fusion of Malay origin and Spanish, Japanese,
Chinese, Islamic, and American influence. In the Philippines, four meals a
day are served: breakfast, lunch,
merienda
(snack), and dinner.
Pancit,
or noodles, is considered a
merienda
dish and is served with a spongecake called
puto
and a glutinous ricecake called
cuchinta.
Lunch is the heaviest meal and consists of rice, a vegetable, a meat, and
sometimes fish as well. Vegetables include
kangkung
(a local spinach), broccoli, Chinese broccoli, bitter melon, mung bean,
beansprouts, eggplant, and okra. However, vegetables are not considered as
important to the diet as in East Asia. Meat is a major part of the diet,
with pork being one of the more popular meats.

Beef and chicken are eaten often, and water buffalo are eaten in the
provinces. The primary foods in the Philippines are rice, corn, coconuts,
sugarcane, bananas, coffee, mangoes, and pineapples.

Malaysia and Singapore.

These two countries have Indian, Muslim, and Chinese heritages that are
reflected in their spicy
cuisines
. Authentic Malay food is difficult to find, though a wide selection of
Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, and occasionally Western food is almost
always available.
Nonya
is a Malaysian dish that has Chinese ingredients with local spices.
Satays (meat kebabs in spicy peanut sauce) are a Malaysian creation, and
fiery curries, Chinese noodles, fried tofu in peanut sauce, tamarind fish
curry, curry prawns, and curried meat in coconut marinade are typical
dishes.
Laksa
is a creamy curry with either seafood or chicken simmered in coconut
milk. Popular desserts include
endol
(sugar syrup, coconut milk, and green noodles) and
is kacang
(beans and jellies topped with shaved ice, syrups, and condensed milk).

South Asia

India's influence can be seen in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan,
and even Bali (Indonesia). Sri Lankan cuisine is a snapshot of Indian
food. Its fiery curry dishes with rice, and hoppers (fried pancake) served
with yogurt and honey, are reminiscent of India. Meat and seafood are
popular staples, as is tea.

India is the only country in this region that uses milk and dairy products
in its diet, mostly in the form of yogurt and cheese. Indian seasonings
include turmeric, tamarind, saffron, cumin, coriander, cardamom, mustard,
ginger, celery seed, aniseed, fenugreek, curry leaf, and coconut milk.
Cashews, pistachios, and almonds are also often found in meat dishes, as
well as in the variety of breads that are baked, fried, or roasted to
accompany the meals. Indian meals are served with chutney, a spicy relish,
or
raita,
a chilled yogurt to soothe the spiciness of the dish.

In the north of India, meat dishes are more common and are usually made
with goat, sheep, or chicken. The meals emphasize breads, grain, and
spices. Southern meals focus on rice, vegetables, and chilies. Vegetables
include onions, yams, potatoes, tomatoes, pumpkin, banana flowers,
cucumbers, radishes, and lotus roots. The sacred status of the cow in the
agrarian society has disallowed beef to be eaten by those who practice
Hinduism. The
protein
in these diets comes primarily from
legumes
or dairy products.

Food Security in Asia

Food is not always readily available across Asia because of a complex web
of social and political factors. Weather also plays a heavy role in food
security, which is the idea that everyone has access to food at a
reasonable cost. If a typhoon causes devastating flooding or severe
droughts destroy crops, people suffer because there will be no food to
harvest. Droughts can also destroy food supplies and deplete drinking
water supplies.

Micronutrient Deficiency

Micronutrients are essential
vitamins
and
minerals
that the body does not naturally produce. A certain amount of these
vitamins and minerals are
required for human development, but in areas of famine or insufficient
food, populations are at high risk of micronutrient deficiencies. In areas
of famine, or where insufficient varieties of foods are available, certain
populations (such as pregnant women, infants, and growing children) are
often at high risk for
nutritional deficiencies
.

Vitamin A.

Vitamin A is necessary to develop a strong
immune system
and proper eyesight. Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) not only causes blindness
and visual impairment (e.g.,
cataract
), but also growth retardation and susceptibility to infections. When VAD
is not detected early, it may make a child more prone to illness and even
death. In Asia alone, it is estimated that 125 million children under five
years of age are currently at risk, and 1.3 million are reported to be
vitamin A deficient.

Iodine Deficiency Disorder (IDD).

Iodine is essential for pregnant women, infants, and young children
because it regulates the production of
hormones
necessary for children's development. Providing the recommended
daily amount of iodine to mothers and children helps prevent brain damage,
stunted growth, and goiters (ball-shaped tumors on the neck) in children.
Some children with IDD are unable to move normally, speak, or hear. Asia
has an estimated 200 million people at risk of IDDs.

Iron Deficiency and Anemia.

Iron deficiency is the most common micronutrient deficiency in the world.
The consequences of iron deficiency include impaired cognitive
development. Iron deficiency is the most common cause of anemia (low
levels of red blood cells or
hemoglobin
) in Asia, with over 600 million people affected. Young children,
adolescent girls, and women are the most severely affected. Southeast Asia
has the largest proportion of anemia—about 600 million are at risk
for iron deficiency in this region.

Lactose Intolerance.

Historically, milk and dairy products have not been used in East and
Southeast Asia. As a result, the hereditary ability to digest lactose is
most common in Asia and parts of Africa. Milk and dairy products are a
major source of
calcium
, and people who avoid them because of lactose intolerance may compromise
their nutritional status and bone strength. Low-lactose milk products have
been developed to reduce the symptoms of lactose intolerance (diarrhea,
abdominal bloating and gas, and stomach cramps).

The Nutritional Transition and Its Health Effects

With people living longer, and with low birth weight at an all-time low,
Asian health should be improving. But with increased Westernization of the
Asian diet, elevated tobacco use (generally among Asian men), and
lifestyle changes (such as decreased physical activity), there has been a
marked rise in
cardiovascular
disease (CVD),
diabetes
mellitus, hypertension (
high blood pressure
), and certain cancers.
Obesity
is also a growing health problem in Asia, and is strongly associated with
hypertension (along with
body mass index
and age). Despite the low obesity levels in the Asia Pacific region,
rates of obesity-related diseases such as diabetes and CVD are on the
rise. High blood pressure is also a growing problem in Asia. In India,
Indonesia, and Thailand alone, nearly 10 to 15 percent of adults have high

The plant-based Asian diet, with its heavy reliance on rice, is
reflected in the Asian food pyramid. The Asian diet does not include
much meat or dairy and is low in total fat.

blood pressure. Hypertension is dangerous because it increases a
person's risk of developing CVD or having a
stroke
.

Changes in the dietary intake patterns of Asian countries have been called
the nutritional transition, meaning a shift away from the traditional
Asian diets to a more varied diet higher in sugars, fats, and
processed foods
. This new eating trend includes fewer
carbohydrates
and
fiber
and is higher in fat and meat. Together with a shift towards physical
inactivity, obesity among the Asian population has risen. The nutritional
and health effects of these new foods contribute to higher mortality rates
due to CVD in many Asian countries.

Conclusion

Asian food and the diets of Asians are often believed to be the model of
healthful eating. Rice and fruit figure prominently in each
country's typical meal. However, as diets have diversified,
chronic
diseases, such as
heart disease
,
have begun to affect Asians in a new and different way. Further, as
weather patterns change over time and natural disasters occur, Asia, a
largely agricultural society, is not always guaranteed a good crop. Asian
food and
nutrition
is deeply rooted in the availability of food in each country.
International organizations such as the United Nations Food and
Agricultural Organization and Oxfam International continue to work on
programs that ensure that continents like Asia will not suffer food
shortages in the future.

Hubert, Annie (1997). "Choices of Food and Cuisine in the Concept
of Social Space among the Yao of Thailand." In
The Anthropology of Food and Nutrition,
Vol. 2:
Food Preferences and Taste Continuity and Change,
ed. Helen MacBeth. Oxford, UK: Berghahn.